MMF launches mental health guide for artist managers

Yesterday at the CMU Insights Drugs Conference at The Great Escape, the Music Managers Forum launched a new free guide that provides artist managers with information and advice on how to care for the mental health of both themselves and their clients.

Produced with support from music charities Music Support and Help Musicians UK, the guide specifically covers anxiety and depression, alcoholism and drug addition, plus work balance and boundaries.

Launching the report, MMF’s Fiona McGugan said: “The modern music business is a rewarding environment in which to work, but it is no secret that it can also be tough and isolating – and particularly so for managers. Our members frequently play an all-encompassing role, and must protect their client’s emotional, mental and physical state as passionately as their business interests”.

“At times this is a 24 hour role and, combined with our ‘always on’ digital culture, it is quite easy for such support to become stretched to breaking point”, she continued. “If that occurs, it is vital that artist managers can turn to someone in confidence, whether that’s the MMF as their trade body, Music Support, Help Musicians or a medical professional”.

She concluded: “All this information is provided in our guide, as well as advice from managers with first-hand experience of dealing with mental health problems and addiction. We hope it will make a positive contribution to tackling this important issue and the development of preventative strategies that will benefit all in the wider music business”.